Sad news reaches us today. The lovely Charlotte Cornwell - who, despite being a Shakespearean actress with myriad stage and screen appearances to her credit (including The Krays, The West Wing, Casualty, Dressing for Breakfast, Silent Witness and much more besides), will forever be associated with her role as the put-upon "Anna" in Rock Follies in the '70s - has died.
I absolutely adored Rock Follies and its sequel Rock Follies of '77, and I was not alone - it was one of the most successful television spectaculars of its day. Charting the trials and tribulations of a trio of singers and their attempts at commercial success, its visual style, all-original music and compelling female-led storylines pre-empted the future rise of pop videos, MTV and even "Girl Power". So, without further ado, let's indulge in some of my fave numbers from the show...
Facts:
- Miss Cornwell was the younger half-sister of John Le Carré, who based the main female character in his novel The Little Drummer Girl on her.
- She had a relationship with fellow actor Kenneth Cranham, with whom she had a daughter, Nancy.
- In 1985 she won a libel action against the journalist Nina Myskow and The Sunday People for describing her as unattractive, middle-aged and whose "bum is too big".
- She had long friendships with Sir Ian McKellen, opposite whom she starred on stage several times, and Tim Curry, her co-star in Rock Follies of '77
RIP, Charlotte Cornwell (26th April 1949 - 16 January 2021)
